Joe Girardi sings a different tune on instant replay

Oct. 14, 2012
|

Yankees manager bemoaned the lack of instant replay following New York's 3-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers in Game 2 of the ALCS. Girardi was ejected from the game for arguing a call at second base. / Brad Penner, USA TODAY Sports

by Ellen J. Horrow, USA TODAY Sports

by Ellen J. Horrow, USA TODAY Sports

My how things can change in three years ... if New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi is any indication.

The Yankees skipper made his feelings about instant replay quite clear Sunday night after the Detroit Tigers shut out the Bronx Bombers 3-0 in Yankee stadium. But Girardi seemed to have a far different opinion three years ago.

With the Yankees trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning Sunday in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series, Detroit's Austin Jackson laced a single to right with Omar Infante on first base. Right fielder Nick Swisher threw to second, where Infante had run past the base, and Robinson Cano appeared to tag him on the chest sliding back.

Second base umpire Jeff Nelson ruled Infante had gotten back to the bag. Girardi came out of the New York dugout to argue, but the safe call stood.

The next batter Avisail Garcia blooped a single to right, scoring Infante and giving the TIgers a 2-0 lead. Girardi again came out to argue and to also change pitchers and was summarily ejected on his 48th birthday.

After the game Girardi, lambasted the call and Major League Baseball's lack of expanded instant replay:

"In this day and age, when we have instant replay available to us, it has to change," he said. "These guys are under tremendous pressure. It takes more time for me to argue than for them to get it right. I'm not saying Robbie Cano's safe last night. But it changes the game. There's a lot more pressure on a pitcher when you're up 1-0 in the eighth than when you're up 3-0. I'm not saying that we win the game if the call is right. But in this day and age, there's just too much at stake. And the technology is available."

But Girardi sang a far different tune regarding instant replay three years ago when a blown call in Game 2 of the AL Division Series benefited the Yankees.

The thing about baseball is it's a real rhythm game, and I am sure football is, too, but I think if you were to start to instant replay all these plays, I think it would break the rhythm of the game, and our games all get to be four games long. If you start instant replaying everything, then you could go as far as a strike and it could just become too long. ... I like the way they are doing it, just home run calls, those are important plays, and there are other important plays, and you could look at the play the other night and say that was an important play, but I think there would be too many things that people would want instant replay and where would you stop?

In this case, the controversy surrounded a bad call by left field umpire Phil Cuzzi, who ruled a ball hit by the Minnesota Twins' Joe Mauer in the top of the 11th inning was foul when television replays clearly showed the ball was fair. Mauer's twisting fly ball down the left field line nicked off the glove Yankees left fielder Melky Cabrera in fair territory. The ball also landed in fair territory.

Mauer later singled in the same at bat, and the Twins eventually loaded the bases, only to strand the runners without scoring a run.

The Yankees won Game 2 of the ALDS 4-3 on a walk-off home run by Mark Teixeira in the bottom of the frame. New York went on to sweep the Twins 3-0, en route to winning the 2009 World Series.